Getting the chance to study abroad in the best university or college in the United States is definitely a one in a lifetime opportunity for any student. In the last few years, the US has enjoyed a dominating position across the globe as the most popular university destination for students looking to pursue an MS degree.

MS in the USA is typically a 2-year program that usually begins either in the fall (August) or spring (January) each year.

The journey of being an MS student in the US is definitely an interesting one filled with several ups and downs. If you’re planning for MS in the US, here is everything you need to know about the life that awaits you there.

A. Financial Preparedness

As an aspiring MS student in any of the US universities, the first and foremost requirement is of financial preparedness. From the process of applying for an education loan to actually applying to the desired college/university, every step should be considered carefully keeping in mind the important details such as allocated budget, varied expenses, etc.

Details of Expenses

1) Tuition Fees

Tuition fees, as well as the duration of a degree for MS courses, varies from university to university. It is, therefore, advisable to check with the school you plan to attend for exact costing details.

The MS course fee in the US typically starts upwards of $25000 for the full program.

A large number of students consider applying for educations loans offered by private banking institutions, NBFCs, and other financial institutions at varied rates of interest. Before making the choice for an education loan, it is essential to do a detailed analysis of various factors such as interest rates, collateral asked for as security, etc.

2) Living Expenses

Although there is no accurate way to estimate living expenses due to the fact that factors such as location, distance to the university, size of apartment etc vary from person to person. However, on an average, these living expenses rang anywhere between $8,000 and $12,000 per year and include:

Rental costs

Meal costs

Transportation cost etc

3) Miscellaneous Expenses

Other than living expenses, students need to account for several other cost heads such as books & literature expenses, entertainment expenses, stationery expenses, and other personal (lifestyle & habits) expenses as well.

This can range anywhere between $400 to $800 per month depending on the area where you live.

B. Overcoming the Challenge of a New Environment

There is no denying the fact that America offers a high standard of living to the students going to study there, right from housing options to public transport, excellent Medicare system, and much more. However, student life in a new country like America also comes with a host of challenges. Some of these could be:

1) Housing

One of the primary challenges is of temporary accommodation you have to put up in, till you find a decent house to lease. While choosing the accommodation, it is a good idea to keep these tips in mind:

Find a place within close proximity of the University for ease of travel.

Acquaint yourself with the neighbourhood and find essential places such as grocery, laundry, etc.

Seek suggestions from seniors and other students about more stable places for lease, their prices etc.

2) Culture Shock

Another challenge that students face in the US is dealing with cultural shock. It is a kind of disorientation that the students experience with an entirely new way of life. The reasons behind this can be the lack of familiarity with the new place and difficulty in communication due to language & accent barrier. To overcome this feeling, it is crucial to-

Develop a strong support system around in the form of family, friends, academic advisor etc

Maintain regular habits with a group of like-minded people such as jogging, taking up a physical activity, sports etc

Develop emotional intelligence to fight loneliness that can lead to emotional stress. Being emotionally mature is crucial to surviving as an MS student in America to lead a successful life, full of self-awareness.

3) Challenge of Dealing with Ever-Changing Laws

Dealing with changing government, laws, and visa restrictions etc poses a constant threat in the mind of international students studying in America.

To overcome this, it is important to focus on the opportunities rather than dwelling too much on the negatives propagated around by media until the time such laws and proposals are being legislated.

C. Living in the US as an international MS student

Living in the US as an MS student is both, a challenging, as well as a rewarding experience in itself. Taking every single decision on your own, managing the expenses, doing daily tasks such as groceries, laundry, etc., (along with academics) instils a lot of independence, as well as responsibility in students.

Some of the effective ways to make the transition of living in a country like America smooth are-

1) Look at the Big Picture while Choosing the Specialization

It is important to make an informed decision regarding your specialization, after having detailed discussions with seniors about course syllabi, etc., to get a sense of the most suitable courses for you.

While the choice should be made after an in-depth research of the specific field of interest, some of the popular options include MS in Computer Science, MS in Power Engineering, MS in Embedded Systems, and MS in Management Information Systems. The list is based on important parameters such as quality of jobs, excellent salaries, and relevance of the courses to international students.

2) Understand Curriculum and other Project Requirements

This is important since the MS curriculum in the US differs from one university to another. In general, make sure that you are aware of-

Any pre-requisite courses mandated by the university.

Details about the core MS subjects including theory and programming.

Electives that MS students are allowed to take.

3) Hunting for an Internship

Doing MS in the US requires extensive experience with the right mix of both, practical and theoretical knowledge. Depending on the university you go to, you can start hunting for an internship from anywhere between four to eight months of starting the MS program.

To begin the search, start with preparing a good resume. You can take advantage of career counseling solutions provided by qualified professional counselors, expert psychologists, and supervised trainees who offer specialized solutions to help students identify the right steps of internship selection, career development, and exploration process.

Once the resume is ready, the next step is to start applying through

Various websites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, etc.

Official company websites, and

Actively participating in career fairs organized by the University

To Sum It UP

The decision of studying MS in the US is definitely a significant one for students. However, culturally America is both, diverse and vastly different from India. To make the process smooth and hassle-free, students need to be well-prepared financially, emotionally, as well as culturally. It is advisable to gain sufficient knowledge and understand the background of the country beforehand, to be more familiar with the people and the life in the US at large.

About author

Aishwarya Bhatt
A bookworm who transforms into a web-usability evangelist, when her favorite blend of coffee is flowing in her veins. Happiest in a bookstore and when she is painting with words on paper!